The Nominating Committee met in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, February 13, and adjourned before noon on Saturday, February 15, 1992. Executive Director Samuel R. Gammon welcomed us and prefaced our deliberations with an outline of our tasks. Sharon K. Tune, Executive Assistant, aided our deliberations immeasurably by organizing our resources and keeping us focused. Committee members arrived well prepared with potential nominees, and lively and good-humored discussions characterized the sessions. We reviewed the Statement on Diversity in AHA Nominations and Appointments and enthusiastically attempted to implement these goals. Our nominations for Council, for example, included a place for marginally-employed faculty members. We also suggested, and the Council is considering, a dedicated slot on the Research Division for a librarian or archivist historian. In another effort to expand representation, the committee discussed nominating a graduate student for elective office and sent this suggestion to the Council, which rejected the idea. Of the three scholars that the committee recommended for the Awards for Scholarly Distinction, the Council accepted two and designated a third of its choice.

We continued the practice of writing to those who were mentioned as potential candidates but who are not members of the Association, and asked them to join. It was heartening that nearly all of those we asked willingly, even eagerly, agreed to stand for office. Serving on the Nominating Commttee has been a rewarding experience, and I want to thank my colleagues on the committee for their dedication and hard work. The candidates who agreed to run for office, both those who won and those who did not, deserve special thanks for their willingness to serve the Association.

Pete Daniel
National Museum of American History
Chair, 1992 Nominating Committee